This photo has nothing to do with the blog post. I just like it.
This morning I awakened, cracked one eye, gauged the light levels in our bedroom, and guessed the time to be 6:33 a.m.
It was 6:35. Boom. Close enough. The ol’ temple of the soul is back on track after two days of the Pfizer Pfeebles.
Coffee and the news. I see via my former employer The New Mexican that some douchebags are tearing up the Nambé Badlands. My old riding buddy Dave Kraig, who is very much not a douchebag, is on the case with the Friends of the Nambé Badlands.
Down here, meanwhile, Herself saw someone throwing an unread bundle of 20 Sunday Albuquerque Journals into the recycling bins near the Lowe’s on Juan Tabo. When I was a paperboy the idea was to throw the papers onto readers’ doorsteps so that the readers could throw them in the trash. Division of labor, don’t you know.
FInally, up in Colorado, the latest in a seemingly endless invasion of out-of-towners is trying to make a silk purse out of the sow’s ear that is the dormant Cuchara ski area. Good luck with that, fellas. I hear they’ve been in touch with my man Hal Walter about doing a burro race. How about adding a “Little 500”-style gravel race in which all the competitors have to ride Range Rover Evoque bicycles? Electrify them sumbitches to bring ’em up to date and you’ll have a little sumpin’-sumpin’ goin’ on.
Tags: Albuquerque Journal, Cuchara, Nambé Badlands, Pfizer vaccine, The Colorado Sun, The New Mexican
Mad Blog Media 
December 5, 2021 at 12:27 pm |
Read that too. Sounds like the BLM has been slow-walking this process. But people will be buttheads, er, I mean people will be people. I guess there is sometimes no difference.
December 5, 2021 at 2:49 pm |
You see it all over down here, with the Foothills Trails. There are a million unofficial social trails in addition to the official ones. I find the official ones provide all the contusions and lacerations I require.
December 5, 2021 at 1:06 pm |
I grew up in that area, B.L.M. and Frest Service gave the first ski area permits to b bunch of rich texas asshats, one who was a Western State Distributor of Subaru of Amerca. They found out that even in heavy snow years a south-facing slope that far south is not good for a long season even if it is n about 7500 ft. I can’t believe that some numbnuts will try it again. The original ski area, lifts, and other paraphernalia were sold for scrap. With climate change bed a really bad idea. But hey 40 years and memories are short. No institutional memories mean same mistakes over and over again.
December 5, 2021 at 2:57 pm |
Remember when Weirdcliffe had a ski area? First called Conquistador, then Mountain Cliffe. Whenever it snowed enough for skiing Thor would fart and blow it straight to Gardner.
I’m pretty sure all its bits got sold off, too, though you can still see the scar on the Sangres.
December 5, 2021 at 3:27 pm |
A Range Rover road bicycle? Why not a mountain bike? I guess if you can afford the Evoque SUV at $50k or so, the marketing mavens assume you will pop for the accessory bike. I mean, who doesn’t like to accessorize? And, who wouldn’t go watch electric bike races in the National Forest? I heard that Mad Dog Motors, headquartered in Bisbee, is making a new 5 door hatchback city car that gets 45 mpg city, has a pearl handled doobie lighter built in the dash, and a Soma Disc on the roof. I’ll buy that instead of a Range Rover.
December 5, 2021 at 3:29 pm |
Make that a Soma Double Cross Disc, please.
December 5, 2021 at 7:10 pm |
Can you imagine? $44,700 to start. And I think I’ve seen a few of those around here. For that much they should throw in a bike and a shop to take it to when something goes awry.
The Mercedes SUVs are getting to be ubiquitous. Oddly, Subaru is doing really well lately, too. I recall when a mechanic told me it was all Toyotas and F-150s.
I’m just where I should be, driving a car that is worth less than any one of my bikes.
December 5, 2021 at 7:32 pm |
Congrats! That is something to be proud of. I also like the photo. For some reason it reminds me of 2001 A Space Odyssey.
December 5, 2021 at 7:35 pm |
Our 1990 Toyota 4-Runner is still plunking away! 15 moves around the world, 2 kids thru high school and college, and back to us for the past 15 years. Time yet again to change the oil and filter on it though! 🙂
December 6, 2021 at 9:41 am |
That’s got to be a record of some kind. Thirty one years and still running. Must be over 250k on the odometer, right? My Rav 4 is 4 1/2 years old and just went over 20k.
December 6, 2021 at 2:54 pm
PO’B: Nope. Just 182K miles on that puppy. Kids actually didn’t use it that much when they had it. It’s the rocks, bikes, mulch, etc. workhorse now.
December 6, 2021 at 10:05 am |
I miss my 1983 Toyota longbeds. Especially the 2WD model. Jeez, that thing was fun to drive; like a car with a box on the back. We traveled the West together for a lot of years.
The Subie is 17 years old with just over 142K on the odometer, and I’m only driving a couple thou’ per annum these days, so I’m hoping to keep her around for another 17 years.
• Click here for a larger version.
December 5, 2021 at 11:17 pm |
Freaking Evoque is a pumped up Opel Cadet with AWD. Many a fool and many a dollar have been separated thanks to marketing.
Every time I see a Range Rover, I think of Tim Robbins in the Einstein movie. If the Brits spent half the time on their electrical systems that they spend glueing fake walnut to the door trim …
December 6, 2021 at 5:57 am |
Ah yes. Lucas …. Prince of Darkness! 🙂
December 6, 2021 at 6:08 am |
Here you go: Get y’self one of these California-built Russian-Eyetalian combos, the Bremach Taos. Sounds like it has some unique challenges for the coddled American motorist, based on the YouTube video’s comments. But less than $30K! Score!
December 5, 2021 at 8:44 pm |
Looks like Good Driving Day again in Albuquerque.
We are on scene of a major crash on WB Paseo Del Norte at 2nd street. All of westbound Paseo is closed and will be for an extended time. Multiple vehicles are involved as well as multiple motorcycles. Multiple vehicles and at least 1 motorcycle were reported to be on fire.
December 6, 2021 at 6:00 am |
That section of Paseo is Death with Death sauce and a side of Death. Jesus, I hate driving in this town. The sirens really get a workout down here.
December 6, 2021 at 6:41 am |
The sirens you hear are calling you to Bisbee, as soon as Herself retires or becomes independently wealthy of course. Then you can visit the Bisbee Bicycle Brothel and shoot the breeze with Ken all afternoon!
December 6, 2021 at 7:35 am |
Jaysis, now the Greydog riders are doing it hand to hand. These people are so not ready for flying cars.
December 6, 2021 at 1:44 pm |
I guess they are taking lessons from the airline passengers. Great googly moogly! (in keeping with the season, Howlin’ Wolf, and Frank Zappa)
December 6, 2021 at 1:46 pm |
Never knew the phrase “great googly moogly” predated Zappa.My ignorance is showing!
December 6, 2021 at 1:48 pm |
And St. Louis Jimmy Oden I guess wrote the lyrics.
December 6, 2021 at 2:00 pm |
Hey Patrick. Let me know if that stem got there. Was supposed to be delivered today.
December 6, 2021 at 3:53 pm |
Hey, K … just got ’er. She’s a beaut’ and should work like a charm. A t’ousan’ thank-yous. Tell your ancestors it will be supporting an Italian handlebar.
December 6, 2021 at 8:33 pm |
My grandparents on my mom’s side will be proud!